Control lever apparatus



March 15, 1955 R, R STEVENS 2,703,988

CONTROL LEVER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 23, 1951 s shee'ts-sheet 1 155 1x8 El-Lg. 1 .J Vl-J IN V EN TOR.

Roy R. Seuens BY @Gi/MQ ATTORNE Y March 15, 1955 R. R. STEVENS CONTROL LEVER APPARATUS 5 Shees-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1951 NNIl mhtl COEWOQ Qs :2.50m

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A T TORNE Y Roy R. Sta/.ens BY 03F COIEOQ @CO COEwOa N @EL March 15, 1955 R. R. STEVENS 2,703,988

CONTROL LEVER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 JJ Vi 2 f 4s V45; 15,5% @o wf@ V V 1&3

w INVENTOR. Royb R. Stevens BY Y' ATTORNEY United States Patent O CONTROL LEVER APPARATUS Roy R. Stevens, Forest Hills, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 23, 1951, Serial No. 207,405

2 Claims. (Cl. 74-471) This invention relates to control lever apparatus and more particularly to multiple lever apparatus for controlling such as positioning of a plurality of valve devices to regulate delivery pressure of fluid therefrom.

It is a prime object of the invention to provide control lever apparatus comprising four levers which may be conditioned to operate so that either of two pairs of the four levers may move in unison while the remainder move individually; all four levers move in unison; or all four levers move independently.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention takeri1 in connection with the accompanying drawings in whic Fig. 1 is an elevation view, partly in outline and partly in section, of a four lever control apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus setting forth details not included in Fig. l; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views in elevation showing the respective conditions which may be established to secure the desired cooperative relationships between the four control levers for selective movement in unison.

Description Referring to Fig. l, the control lever apparatus embodying the invention comprises four spaced apart operators control levers 1, 2, 3 and 4 which extend through accommodating respective slots 5 in a cover cap element 6 into removable attachment by means of such as machine screws 7, with gear elements 8, 9, and 11, respectively, within the cap element. The gear elements 8 to 11, inclusive, are arranged for turning movement about an axis 13 common to all, and each gear element is provided with the usual gear teeth 12 for meshing engagement with corresponding gear teeth on a respective actuating element 14 operatively connected to a respective valve device 16, only one of which is shown in the drawings.

Each of the control lever elements 1, 2, 3 and 4 is provided with a knob 18 attached to its outermost projecting end to accommodate its manual rocking movement about axis 13 to adjust position of the respective actuating element 14. Opposite ends of the slots 5 in cap element 6 form stop shoulders 20 which define the extent of rocking movement of the respective control lever elements 1, 2, 3, 4. The cover cap element 6 may be mounted on such as a plate 22 to which is attached a frame 23 for mounting each valve device 16.

According to the invention, a metal shaft 25 is provided which is rotatably and slidably supported adjacent its opposite ends by respective annular bearing elements 26 and 27 suitably attached in fixed positions to the cover cap element 6. 'Ihe shaft 25 may be hollow as shown in the drawings to assure a rigid light weight structure.

Each of the gear elements 8, 9, 10 and 11 is provided with a hub 30 which projects from one face thereof to serve the usual purpose of providing suicient axial dimension to resist cooking during relative sliding movement between the gear element and a cylindrical support element extending centrally therethrough which will be presently described. Each of the hubs 30 is defined by a cylindrical surface 31 projecting from a respective face of the gear element and an annular end surface 32 intersecting the surface 31.

The annular surface 32 of gear element 8 abuts the bearing element 26, while the corresponding surface 32 on the gear element 11 abuts the bearing element 27, thus 2,703,988 Patented Mar. l5, 1955 determining the spaced apart relationship of the gear elements 8 and 11. The cylindrical surface 31 on the gear elements 9 and 10 serve as shoulders on which are fit spacer sleeves 34 and 35, respectively, which thereby are located radially of the axis 13. One end of the sleeve 34 abuts the gear element 8, while the opposite end slidably abuts the gear element 9 to define the spaced apart relationship of the two gear elements 8 and 9. Similarly, the sleeve 35 determines the spaced apart relationship between gear elements 10 and 11, being interposed in abutting relationship therebetween.

Each of the gear elements 8 and 11 is provided with a central through bore 38 through which the shaft 25 extends in slidable relationship with the respective wall of such bore. A central through bore 40 in each of the gear elements 9 and 10 accommodates a sleeve element 42 slidably mounted on the shaft 25. A spacer ring 44, encircling the sleeve element 42, is interposed between the gear elements 9 and 10 to determine their spaced apart relationship.

The shaft 25 is constantly connected for turning movement with the gear element 8 by means of a key 46 carried in a suitable longitudinal groove 47 in shaft 25 and extending into slidable engagement with the walls of an accommodating groove 48 opening from the bore 38 and extending in an axial direction through the gear element 8. The key 46 carried on shaft 25 is of suicient length that by axial shifting movement of the shaft 25 to a position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 it will extend from groove 48 into a groove 50 in the respective end of the sleeve element 42 to lock the element 42 for turning movement with the gear element 30. In the position in which the shaft 25 is shown in Fig. l, a portion of the key 46 extends beyond the gear element S and projects with clearance into an enlarged opening 52 in the bearing element 26.

The sleeve element 42 is constantly connected for turning movement with the gear element 10 by means of a key 54 carried in a longitudinal groove 55 in sleeve element 42 and extending into slidable engagement with the walls of an accommodating groove 56 extending radially outward from the respective bore 40 and in an axial direction through said gear element. A corresponding groove 56 is formed in the gear element 9 so that by movement of the sleeve element 42 out of the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 to a position in the direction of gear element 8, in which position it is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, said key 54 will extend between both gear elements 9 and 10 and engage the walls of the respective grooves 56 to lock the two gear elements 9 and 10 together for turning movement in unison. A corresponding groove 56 in spacer ring 44 also accommodates the key 54 constantly and allows for such shifting movement.

A key 60 carried in a slot 61 in the shaft 2S is provided for locking engagement with the gear element 11 so that it will turn with turning movement of the gear element 8 with which said shaft is constantly keyed. A through groove 62 opening radially outward from respective bore 38 is provided the gear element 11 for torque transmitting engagement with the key 60. By shifting the shaft 25 from the position in which it is shown in Fig. l to positions in which it is shown in Figs. 3 and 5, for example, such torque transmitting engagement may be effected.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, for actuating the shaft 25 longitudinally, an annular groove 65 is provided adjacent one end of the shaft to accommodate such as a pin 66 which rides the groove. The pin 66 is carried on the projecting end of one leg of an L-shaped adjustment lever 70 which is pivotally connected at its apex by means of a pin 71 to an integral portion of the cover cap element 6. By manual rocking movement of the lever 70 selectively to one of three positions indicated in the drawing by dot-and-dash lines titled Position One, Position Two and Position Three, the shaft 25 can be caused to assume the positions in which it is shown in Figs. l, 3, and

The pin 73 is carried on` one end of a lever 74 which is pivotally connected at its mid point by means of a pin 75 to an integral part of the cover cap element 6. The opposite end of the lever 74 is pin connected at 76 to one end of a connecting link 77, the opposite end of which is pin connected at 78 to the projecting end of one leg of an L-shaped adjustment lever 79 which has a leg extending outwardly through a slot in the cover cap element 6 to allow for manipulation. At its apex, the L-shaped lever 79 is connected by means of a pin 80 to an integral part of cap element 6. By manual movement of the lever 79 to either of two angular positions, indicated in the drawing by dot-anddash lines titled Position One and Position Two, the sleeve element 42 may be caused to assume the longitudinal positions in which it is shown in Figs. l and 4, respectively, for example.

To lock the levers 70 and 79 in their various selected positions, detents (not shown) in the form of spring loaded plungers are provided for cooperation with respective sockets formed in surfaces on the levers 70 and 78, in any well-known manner.

Operation Assume that it is desired to manipulate the operators control levers 1, 2, 3 and 4 independently. In this case, each of the adjustment levers 70 and 79 will be in its respective Position One in which each is shown in Fig. 2. With the adjustment levers 70 and 79 so positioned, the shaft 25 and sleeve element 42 will be in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. l, with the keys 46 and 60 carried by shaft 25 out of driving engagement with sleeve element 42 and gear element 11, respectively, and the key 54 carried by said sleeve element positioned connecting same to gear element but out of engagement with gear element 9, so that control levers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not locked with each other and may be manipulated independently; the shaft 25 keyed to gear element 8, turning with turning movement of the lever 1; gear element 9 attached to lever 2 being free to turn on sleeve element 42; gear element 10 attached to lever 3 being free to turn only sleeve element 42 on the shaft 25; and gear element 11 attached to lever 4 being free to turn on shaft 25.

If it is desired to lock the levers 1 and 4 together for movement in unison while the levers 2 and 3 remain free for independent manipulation, the levers 1 and 4 first must be moved into coincidence to align the key 60 on shaft 25 with the groove 62 in gear element 11 and then the adjustment lever 70 must be shifted from Position One" to Position Two, thereby moving the shaft 25 longitudinally to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 to carry the key 60 into locking engagement with the gear element 11 to lock the lever 4 with the lever 1 via key 60, shaft 25, and key 46. It will be appreciated that in Position Two of adjustment lever 70, the key 46 carried by shaft 25 remains disposed out of engagement with the sleeve element 42 so that gear elements 9 and 10 attached to levers 2 and 3 remain operable independently of lever elements 1 and 4 connected for movement in unison. It also will be appreciated that with adjustment lever 79 being allowed to remain in its Position One, the key 54 carried by sleeve element 42 will remain in the same longitudinal position in which it is shown in Fig. l so that levers 2 and 3 are free to move independently also of one another, as will be appreciated from previous description. Thus the desired situation is attained.

If then it is desired to lock the levers 2 and 3 together for movement in unison while the levers 1 and 4 move independently, the adjustment lever 70 shown in Fig. 2 may be returned to its Position One to cause the shaft 25 to assume the position in which it is shown in Figs. l and 4. During such movement of shaft 25, the key 60 again is carried to a position free of gear element 11 to allow the attached control lever 4 to move independently of shaft 25, hence of gear element 8 and therefore control lever l. At substantially the same time, the ad` justment lever 79 need be moved from its Position One to its Position Two to cause the sleeve element 42 to be shifted from the position in which it is shown in Figs. l and 3 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4 to carry the key 54 into groove 56 in gear element 9 for locking same for turning movement with gear element 10 via said key and the sleeve element which will turn on shaft 25. Thus the control levers 2 and 3 are locked for movement in unison whilesthe control levers 1 and 4 are free to be moved independently of each other and of the two locked levers 2 and 3.

If then it is desired to lock all four control levers 1, 2, 3 and 4 together for operation in unison, the adjustment lever 79 will be moved to its Position Two and the adjustment lever 70 to its Position Three to cause shifting of shaft 25 and sleeve element 42 to the respective positions in which they are shown in Fig. 5.

In Position Two of the adjustment lever 79, the sleeve element 42 assumes the same position as described in the preceding paragraph, with the key 54 locking the two gear elements 9 and 10, hence levers 2 and 3, together via sleeve element 42 for turning movement in unison.

In Position Three of the adjustment lever 70, the shaft 25 is so positioned that the key 60 is disposed in groove 62 in gear element 11 thereby locking same and hence lever 4 for turning movement with said shaft, and the key 46 extends from groove 48 in gear element 8 into groove 50 in sleeve element 42, thereby locking both said sleeve element and gear element 8 also for turning movement with said shaft, and since, as above described, gear elements 9 and 10 are locked for movement in unison, it now will be seen that all four gear elements 8, 9, 10 and 11 now are locked for turning movement with shaft 25, hence control levers 1, 2, 3, and 4 are connected for movement in unison, as desired.

From any selected positions of the adjustment levers 70 and 79, both may be returned to their respective Position One to return the shaft 25 and sleeve element 42 to the respective position in which each is shown in Fig. 1, for independent movement of the operators control levers 1, 2, 3 and 4, as will be appreciated from previous description.

Summary It will now be appreciated that I have provided apparatus, comprising four control levers, which may be conditioned to operate so that either of two pairs may be selected for movement in unison while the remaining two levers are movable independently; all four levers are movablle in unison; or all four levers are movable independent y.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Control lever apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart fixed bearing elements, a shaft journaled in said bearing elements and shiftable axially relative thereto, a pair of lever-operated spaced-part valve actuating elements journaled on said shaft and in abutting relationship with said bearing elements, respectively, said actuatmg elements having respective key accommodating grooves extending axially therein and exposed to said shaft, a pair of spaced apart keys attached to said shaft, and lever means operable manually to shift said shaft relative to said actuating elements in an axial direction to position both of said keys within said grooves, respectively, for locking both actuating elements together for tirring movement in unison through the medium of said s a t.

2. Control lever apparatus comprising a pair of spaced apart aligned fixed bearing elements, a shaft journaled adjacent its opposite ends in said bearing elements, a first pair of valve actuating gear elements journaled on said shaft between said bearing elements, a sleeve element interposed between said first pair of actuating gear elements and journaled onto said shaft, a second pair of valve actuating gear elements journaled onto said sleeve element, spacer means interposed between the gear elements of said rst pair of gear elements to define a spaced apart relationship therebetween, other spacer means cooperable with the gear elements of said second pair maintaining the gear elements of said first pair in abutting relationship with said bearing elements, respectively, each of said gear elements and said sleeve element having a respective keyway slot extending in an axial direction therein, two spaced apart keys carried by said shaft so disposed that by selective movement of said shaft to different axial positions said keys are brought into torque transmitting engagement with respective keyway slots, in only one gear element of said first pair, in both gear elements of said rst pair, or in both gear elements of said rst pair as well as in said sleeve element, another key carried by said sleeve element so disposed that selective movement of said sleeve element will carry said other key either into or out of torque transmitting engagement with the respective keyway slots in the gear elements of said second pair, and first and second actuating means for effecting said selective movement of said shaft and said sleeve element, respectively.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 297,885 Warrick Apr. 29, 1884 6 Landis Sept. 27, Plant May 17, Lee July 13, Berry Jan. 5, Putt Mar. 16,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June l0, France Dec. 16, 

